Inside one of the inner courtyard rooms, Lin Shou sat cross-legged silently upon his meditation cushion.
The room was dark.
Only faint moonlight entered through the window cracks.
Ever since his breakthrough to the Innate Realm and the appearance of the strange crimson space, he had attempted countless times to approach the red jade orb during his sleep.
Yet every single attempt ended in failure.
No matter how stubbornly he pushed forward—
The terrifying suppression always threw him out eventually.
Still—
The experience was not entirely without benefits.
After repeated exposure to the crimson aura surrounding the orb, even his Innate True Qi had begun changing subtly.
Originally, the Scorching Flame True Qi cultivated from the Scorching Flame Innate Scripture already possessed explosive offensive power.
But now—
The flames carried an even stronger yang attribute.
More violent.
More domineering.
Even the heat itself felt denser than before.
When circulating his true qi recently, Lin Shou could vaguely sense traces of crimson light hidden within the flames.
At first, he thought it was merely imagination.
But after repeated testing—
He confirmed it.
The aura from the red orb was slowly mutating his true qi.
Tonight—
He planned to try once more.
Slowly closing his eyes, Lin Shou circulated his breathing technique quietly.
His consciousness gradually sank into darkness.
…
Soon—
The familiar crimson world appeared again.
The surroundings remained exactly the same.
Endless red mist drifted through the space.
Ancient.
Heavy.
Oppressive.
At the very center floated the massive crimson orb.
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
The orb pulsed slowly like the heartbeat of an ancient beast.
Lin Shou inhaled deeply.
Then stepped forward.
One step.
Another.
Another.
Unlike before, this time he moved considerably farther before the suppression intensified.
He had already passed through the outer region of the crimson space completely.
Soon—
He entered what he mentally classified as the inner region.
The pressure increased dramatically.
Yet he still continued walking.
His body trembled slightly.
But compared to previous attempts, he remained far more stable.
Eventually—
He approached the core region surrounding the red orb itself.
The moment his foot crossed into that area—
BOOM!!
An unimaginable pressure crashed downward instantly.
Crack!
The ground beneath him shattered.
Lin Shou's pupils shrank violently.
Bang!
Both knees slammed heavily against the ground.
The suppression this time was completely different from before.
It felt like mountains pressing against his soul directly.
His breathing became difficult instantly.
Even thinking became sluggish.
Sweat poured down his face rapidly.
Lin Shou gritted his teeth forcefully.
Then suddenly—
A thought appeared in his mind.
"The suppression changed…"
Back then, when he first entered this strange space—
He was only at the Innate Inner Energy Stage.
Now—
He had already reached Innate Inner Energy Peak Stage.
His fourth acupoint was already close to opening completely.
Equivalent to half-step Innate Inner Strength.
Did that mean—
Every time his cultivation increased—
The suppression also adjusted accordingly?
Lin Shou's expression changed slightly.
If that was true…
Then his best opportunity to reach the orb might have been before he even cultivated seriously.
Unfortunately—
That chance had already passed forever.
Worse—
If he failed tonight and later broke through into Innate Inner Strength Realm—
The suppression might become even more terrifying.
Possibly unbearable.
Meaning—
He no longer had the luxury of retreating.
Tonight—
He had to succeed.
Lin Shou slowly lifted one trembling leg.
Then forcefully stood again.
Crack!
His bones groaned faintly under the pressure.
Step.
Another step.
Every movement felt like torture.
The crimson suppression continuously crushed against his body and soul.
His vision blurred slightly.
His mind felt as though it were slowly peeling apart.
Still—
He continued forward stubbornly.
Then suddenly—
Memories surfaced uncontrollably.
His parents.
That final mission.
The smiles they forced before leaving.
The cultivation resources they prepared for his future.
Their deaths.
The humiliation afterward.
And her.
That woman.
That bitch.
The person who used his feelings and trampled them completely.
Then the young master behind her.
The one who destroyed everything casually while treating him like trash.
A violent hatred surged from Lin Shou's chest instantly.
Boom!
Crimson true qi erupted around his body instinctively.
"I can't fail…"
"I won't fail again…"
"Not until both of them die."
Every step afterward carried terrifying willpower.
The suppression still crushed him endlessly.
But now—
His eyes no longer contained hesitation.
Only madness.
Only obsession.
Only vengeance.
Step.
Step.
Step.
Finally—
He arrived before the crimson orb.
At close distance, the orb appeared incomparably massive.
Like a miniature sun suspended before him.
The surrounding crimson energy distorted violently.
Then—
Boom!!
The orb pulsed once heavily.
A thin crimson strand of light suddenly shot outward.
Whoosh!
Before Lin Shou could react—
The crimson light entered directly between his brows.
"AHHHHHH—!!"
An unbearable pain exploded inside his mind instantly.
Countless unfamiliar symbols and images surged violently through his consciousness.
His vision shattered completely.
Then—
Darkness.
…
Several hours later.
Inside the breakthrough room—
Lin Shou suddenly opened his eyes violently.
"Haa… haa…"
His breathing was rough.
Cold sweat drenched his entire body.
A splitting headache assaulted his mind continuously.
It felt like countless needles stabbing into his consciousness.
Lin Shou clutched his head painfully.
Then suddenly—
The blood jade pendant hanging from his chest emitted faint crimson light again.
A warm energy flowed outward slowly.
The moment the energy entered his body—
The mental pain rapidly weakened.
Lin Shou's pupils contracted slightly.
Again.
The pendant saved him.
Before he could think further—
He suddenly froze.
There was…
Something inside his mind.
A strange unfamiliar presence.
The moment he focused inwardly—
Boom!!
A massive flood of information exploded inside his consciousness.
Countless words.
Cultivation diagrams.
Meridian pathways.
Martial concepts.
True qi circulation methods.
Everything surged into his mind violently.
Lin Shou's expression changed continuously.
"This is…"
"A cultivation method?!"
No—
Not merely a cultivation method.
This was a complete inheritance.
A true scripture inheritance.
Moments later, several ancient characters gradually appeared within his mind.
Chaoyang True Scripture.
Lin Shou's breathing became heavier instantly.
Compared to the Scorching Flame Innate Scripture he currently cultivated—
The difference was like heaven and earth.
The Scorching Flame Innate Scripture only contained cultivation methods up to the Innate Realm.
Everything beyond that was missing completely.
But the Chaoyang True Scripture—
Contained not only the complete Innate Realm.
But also realms beyond Innate.
Even cultivation methods after Xuan Gang were partially included.
Most terrifyingly—
The inheritance also contained martial techniques.
True martial techniques.
Not ordinary combat arts.
But techniques perfectly matched with the Chaoyang cultivation path itself.
Lin Shou's heart shook violently.
This kind of inheritance…
Even Foundation Establishment families would probably fight to the death over it.
Yet now—
It had appeared directly within his mind.
At that moment—
Lin Shou slowly lowered his gaze toward the blood jade pendant resting against his chest.
The pendant had already dimmed once more.
Returning to its ordinary appearance.
But now—
Lin Shou finally understood completely.
This pendant…
Contained a terrifying secret.
The True Scripture seems to follow a similar pathway to his previous true method but the effects are different.
The Scorching Flame method emphasized on explosive attacks without regards for the damage inwardly but the Chaoyang True Scripture uses a yang effect to ignite from within the opponent's body if ever infected with his true qi.
But the effect of practicing this technique seems likely to catch the attention of the elders as it creates a more calm yet hot effect within his true qi unlike the constantly burning effect of his previous one.
'Thankfully since they follow similar pathways, I can use the scorching Flame True qi as a cover up until I can find a suitable concealing Qigong'.
Holding the pendant in his palm, he seems to catch a glint of something but it immediately vanishes as if it wasn't there.
'Probably the effect of sleep deprivation'
Collapsing onto his bed as he closes his eyes and dozes off.